Finishing My Work Experience in Brennan’s Pharmacy!

Yesterday, I completed my final day of Work Experience in my Transition Year, and in Brennan’s Life Pharmacy.

I have been working in the pharmacy since the start of March, and have enjoyed every moment of my time in the pharmacy. I would have to say that my placement in the pharmacy, has possibly been my favourite placement in Transition Year. I felt that I had been given a real opportunity to learn, and I felt as if I were trusted by the staff.

I was allowed to undergo a lot of tasks that I never expected, to be doing, firstly, because I am a student, who had no qualifications nor any previous experience working in a pharmacy. I was allowed to take in the daily order, and check the order with the accompanying invoice. When this order had been checked over by the pharmacist, I was allowed to put away the items, and stock them in the motorized dispensary robot, after receiving training and instructions on how to sort out ordered items. I was allowed to work with prescriptions, stock, patient information and general pharmaceutical assistance.

It is a credit to the pharmacy that I was allowed to work in an environment that contained confidential information. It was extremely credible that I had been allowed to stay confidential regarding patient information. A major thanks has to be given to all that have worked along with me, each and every member of staff had been extremely accomodating and friendly.

Brennans Pharmacy had been an amazing company to work for!

Thank You Transition Year! – My Year in Review

As my Transition Year in Crana College draws to a close, I look back on one of the most interesting and inspiring times in my school life. The year has by far exceeded any expectations that I ever had, encompassing everything and anything inside the Irish Education System.

I think that it is fair to say, that I had an action-packed, yet educational year in TY. Like many other skeptics, I came into the year, with an idea of prejudice in my head, thinking that the year didn’t yield any opportunities or chances for me, and I couldn’t have been further wrong! Within a matter of weeks, I realised that TY In Crana College (and in many other hard working schools around the country) is one of the best organised programmes, that aims to get the most out of each and every student, based on the effort and commitment that the students dedicate to the programme.

Transition Year, has improved me for the better. I have became a lot more confident in this year. Through this, I have countless unforgettable memories, but of these, the most prominent include:

Speaking on behalf of TY Ireland at the National Parents Council of Post Primary Secondary Schools annual conference in the INEC, Killarney.

Participating in the 5K Mud Run!

Making the Eir Junior Spiders – Giga Spiders – Best Induvidual Project Shortlist.

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Being ‘Highly Commended’ in the National Career Skills Competition with CareersPortal.ie 

Transition Year has been simply, amazing, and has made me much more ‘well-rounded’, and confident person. I feel that this year has benefited me greatly, and that I have taken every opportunity possible to get the very best out of this year. I would urge any student who is doing TY next year, to firstly, push themselves in TY, secondly, take every opportunity available to you, and thirdly, enjoy TY – It will be amazing!

Above, is only a snapshot of what has being going on in my Transition Year! I’m sure that if you were to read through this blog, or my Twitter Feed, you would see a much bigger picture of what my Transition Year was all about.

Writing one of my final blog posts of TY has really saddened me, not only has this blog been an ongoing assessed piece of work for my Media Studies Module, but it has been a space where I can freely write about a topic that I have grown to love! A special thanks has to be given to absolutely everyone who have supported me in this journey – My TY Coordinator, Teachers, Staff, Employers, Co-Workers, Transition Year Ireland, Volunteers, Guest-Speakers, Fellow Bloggers & Twitter Users, Family & Friends , and everyone in between- each and every one of you have helped make my TY that extra bit more special!

Thank you Transition Year!

The Eir Junior Spiders Shortlist

TY’s at the Colosseum

The TY Boys Walking in Sorrento

The Trevi Fountain

The Colosseum

Me & Ciarán Touring Rome

5th Years at the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast

The Streets of Sorrento

‘Rome’-ing about with Roisín & Tiree

The TY Boys on a Boat Trip

Selfies at the Trevi Fountain

Outside St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican

‘Frescos’ in the Vatican

The Time Elevator

Subject Choices for Leaving Certificate 2018

TY First Aid Training

Promoting Inishowen’s Tourism Industry

Skiing Tour Key Ring Design

Rome Tour Key Ring Design

My Cover of ‘O Fortuna’

Starting the Architecture Module!

Me and my little sister Dearbhla, pictured just after my last day at work experience at her “Big School”

My ‘Space Study’ for Architecture

Blog Challenge – Six Word Story

Ice Skating in Belfast

Hill Walking Trip

Hill Walking in Uriris

Christmas Market Poster

Drugs & Alcohol Conference

Disability Awareness Module Part 1

Our Greatest Scientist – Nikola Tesla

Completion of the Cube Project

TY Panel at the National Parents Council Post Primary Annual Conference in the INEC, Killarney

TY Panel at NPCpp Annual Conference

‘Chain Reaction’ Key Rings – TY Enterprise Mini Company

Semi-Completed Cube

Prize-giving – Co-Junior Student of the Year 2014/2015 & Co-Recipient of the ‘Bríd Boner Memorial Plaque’

TY Panel at the National Parents Council of Post Primary Secondary Schools

Irish Wheelchair Association Collection

What I’ve been learning about in TY Geography – The Human Development Index (HDI)

‘Chain reaction Keyring’s’ first product!

Oisín i dTír na nÓg – Mindmap

TY Panel at National Parents Council

Month In Review – October

My Work Experience Report, written in ‘The Drumfries Times’

Monthl

Foyle Hospice Coffee Morning Donation

National Road Safety Week

Ireland Trip

TY1 Post-Surfing Selfie

Cube Project

Surifng

Surfing

Foyle Hospice Coffee Morning

Cube Project

Music Appreciation Module

Room 13 – Pre-Coffee Morning Setup

TY1 Receiving the iPads

Junior Cert Results

Irish Mythology presentation

European Day Of Languages

 

Making the National Career Skills Competition Shortlist

Recently, I have been extremely honoured to find out that I have made the shortlsit of the National Career Skills Competition. The competition was ran by Careers Portal, the leading provider of Careers & Educational News throughout Ireland.

The National Career Skills Competition is a nationwide competition, open to Senior Second Level Students in Ireland, who have participated in Work Experience, through their Transition Year, Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied & Leaving Certificate Vocational Programmes. Each category is also offered in Irish. From over 1,500 Entries, I was extremely happy to be ‘Highly Commended’ in the Transition Year Category. 

Each entry had to submit a series of collective doccuments based around a Work Experience Placement that they have carried out. At the time of submission, I had only underwent my first Transition Year Placement in Scoil Naomh Pádraig, Drumfries, teaching music. The entry consisted of a Career Investigation, a Work Experience Report and a Skills Research Section, amongst many other sections. I researched how to become a music teacher, and followed various different pathways to acheive this goal. I also had to think about my Work Experience Placement, and about what skills I had both used and learnt through this placement.

Tomorrow, I will be heading to the Department of Education, in Dublin to recieve my prize. I am thoroughly looking forward to the event, and cannot wait to see the Department of Education. I can’t believe that I have made it this far! A special thanks has to be given to my Career Guidance Teacher – Ms McElhinney, and my TY Coordinator – Ms Bradley, who have played a vital role in my Work Experience Placements, as well as my employer and coworkers at Drumfries National School who were good enough to allow me to teach music in the primary school!

Month in Review – April

April has been one of the busiest, yet most enjoyable months of my Transition Year. To recap on this month, I will reflect on my top 5 highlights of April.

1. The Mud Run

Possibly one of the most enduring, yet memorable aspects of my Transition Year, had to be the Mud Run, in which TY Students were to trek through 5 kilometers of mud and dirt! On the day of the run, it was extremely cold, and was raining, which only added to the experience. Surprisingly enough, it was actually quite enjoyable to undergo this activity, and it was something that I had never imagined myself doing! The mud run, has been one of the best experience of my Transition Year, and it was something, that I will remember fondly, for a long time! It was such a sense of achievement, when I completed the 5k. Despite it being freezing cold, the mud run was unforgettable, and left everyone who really did try throughout the 5K, with a great sense of achievement.

2. The Eir Junior Spiders Awards

Getting shortlisted for  the Eir Junior Spiders, was an unbelievable achievement, and was a personal highlight of TY for me. I was truly honoured to make the Top 7 in the country to be shortlisted for the ‘Best Individual Project’ in the Giga Spiders category, for the work carried out on this very blog. The event itself was also amazing, and it was a great experience for all, not to mention the TV interview which I had with Nick Sheridan for RTÉ2’s ‘news2day’. (click here to watch the interview). The Eir Junior Spider Awards gave me a great insight into Digital Media in Ireland, especially among the youth of Ireland. It was an unbelievable experience!

3. Finishing the IAF Architecture Module.

 As frequent readers of my blog will know, the Irish Architecture Foundation’s TY Architecture Module has not only been a prominent part of this blog, but also a very important and prominent part of my Transition Year. Since December, each student was facilitated with a ‘Design Journal’ which would help us to create and design an idea for our Design Task, which would be created in March & April. I really enjoyed filling put the Design Journal, as it allowed me to become more aware of architecture all around me, as well as of the architecture that is found in everyday life. Throughout this project I learned many new valuable skills, and experienced architecture first hand! I became more aware of aspects such as  height, elevation, planning, functionality, and design, all of which form important aspects of design. I also learned about various architects and their work dotted around the world, and allowed me to create my own designs! The Architecture Module, has certainly been one of, if not the most enjoyable module’s of my Transition Year!

4. Portfolio Preparations.

Believe it or not, preparing for my TY Summer Portfolio of Assessment, has been a very interesting experience for me. Putting it simply, the Portfolio of Assessment is the backbone to Transition Year in Crana College. Each TY Student must prepare 2 portfolios throughout the year (one in November, one in April.). The portfolio is to function as a grading system for TY, as we have had to have a graded piece of work form every module studied, displayed in the folder. The portfolio also contains work carried out from each of the students’ three work experience placements throughout the year, as well as various other assessments and certifications. I have really enjoyed preparing my portfolio as it allowed me to reflect on all that I have done over the past few months, similarly to my ‘Month in Review’ series of blog posts!

5. ISSU / ICTU Worker’s Rights Talk. 

Transition Year, and Leaving Certificate Applied Students, were gathered together to be given this talk, by a representative from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), and the Irish Second-Level Students Union (ISSU), of which have developed the website, and advisory service – youth-connect.ie, which aims to advise Irish Teenagers, about a wide variety of areas, and items of importance to Irish Teens. We were advised on areas such as Minimum Wage, Legal Working Hours & General Working Rights, as well as responsibilities of the Employee & Employer. The talk given to us, has been one of the most helpful, of all the talks in my Transition Year, as it has given me a very important insight into the working world, which I will begin to experience now more frequently, and will allow me to make confident and smart decisions about where and when I will  begin working!

Worker’s Rights Talk with the ICTU & ISSU

On Friday, we were given a very insightful, and a very useful, talk based around the topic of ‘Worker’s Rights’, which was of major importance for Transition Year Students, who have working, for the first time this year, through our work experience.

Transition Year, and Leaving Certificate Applied Students, were gathered together to be given this talk, by a representative from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), and the Irish Second-Level Students Union (ISSU), of which have developed the website, and advisory service – youth-connect.ie, which aims to advise Irish Teenagers, about a wide variety of areas, and items of importance to  Irish Teens.

The areas that we were advised on, in this talk was mainly based around regulations of 14/ 15 /16 /17 Year Olds working in Ireland. We firstly discussed the minimum wage, that there is in Ireland, which can be seen below:

• Aged 14-18: €6.41 per hour.
• Aged 18 and over, with one year experience: €7.32 per hour.
• Aged 18 and over, with two years experience: €8.24 per hour
• Experienced adult worker: €9.15 per hour.

This means that for students, like me, if I were to get a part time job, and were to get paid, the minimum wage would be €6.41 per hour, whilst an experienced adult worker would get €9.15 per hour, as a minimum payment from their employer.

We, were then given an insight into the resting (break) hours that there are for any worker, depending on their age. Similarly, to the minimum wage, there is a breakdown, and there is also a restrictions on the amount of hours that can be worked dependent on age, however, the maximum hours which can be worked for the most experienced members of the workforce is 39 hours per week (plus overtime). However, with younger workers, there are certain restrictions about working after certain time periods, and when they can work (IE: weekends, holidays, weekdays, etc.).

The talk given to us, has been one of the most helpful, of all the talks in my Transition Year, as it has given me a very important insight into the working world, which I will begin to experience now more frequently, and will allow me to make confident and smart decisions about where and when I will  begin working!

 

Work Experience at Highland Radio draws to a close!

Sadly, today was my last day in my second work placement at Highland Radio.I Honestly cannot believe that another placement has passed by me so quickly, and that I am preparing for my third and final placement of my TY!

Since the start of the New Year, I have been working as part of the Highland Radio staff, and to sum-up my eight weeks there in one word it would be -‘Unbelievable’. This placement was simply amazing, and was something that was right up my street. I enjoyed my time there thoroughly, and to say goodbye and walk out the front door was very hard for me!

Despite only being here for eight days in total, I feel as if it had been my busiest placement to date. Over the course of only eight Wednesdays, I learnt so much!  During my time in Highland Radio, I was working in all aspects of Radio Production & Administration. Through this I have worked in all of the Departments in the Largest Local Radio Station in Ireland. I have worked and observed: Advertisement Production, Radio Production, News Correlation & Research, Sports News Research, Music Library Administration, Front Desk & Public Relations (Administration), Radio ‘Traffic’ Filing, Sales, Promotions & Selling and Marketing, as well as working in the Newsroom. I was also been able to be of a general assistance around the station, helping with tasks such as photocopying, researching topics for radio shows, fling, arranging the music library and general assistance.

During my time at the radio station, I was also given the opportunity to broadcast live across the North-West to a potential 170,000 listeners, in which I was allowed to play about 15 minutes of one of the radio show’s Music & Advertisements – This was simply unbelievable!!

Not only did I learn a huge amount from my time in Highland, but I also got to become more aware of how much work goes into creating one single broadcast. It is totally unknown to the listener that there is a potential team of at least 20 people behind a radio broadcast, helping in some way, either directly or indirectly!

It was not until my final week in this placement, until I realised how similar blogging and radio production are. When working with one of the newsreaders at the station – Catherine Gaffney, I realised the link between the two mediums. Both are mediums which are growing in popularity, and both are mediums which are almost totally digital at this stage. They are public domains which anyone can ‘tap-in’ to, and they are areas where people can share their thoughts, opinions and views.

Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed this placement. The station is a credit to the North-West, and it is also is a credit to its staff. Each and every one of the staff members have also been more than accommodating, and each of them have tried their up-most best to educate me on every aspect of radio.A special thanks has to be given to the staff member who had to put-up with me the most – Linda. She was an unbelievable employer, and an even better guide. I hope to return to Highland Radio some day. It will not be the last time that I will set foot in a radio station.

Thank You Highand Radio,

–Darragh

Broadcasting from Highland Radio

On Tuesday, I had my third week of my second work experience. This placement is in Highlands Radio, and I am really beginning to enjoy and getting into the routine of work in the station. I went into the station as normal and went about my usual routine in the morning, before being called upon, to go down and help in the ‘Promotions’ section. The Promotions Section is in charge of advertising and campaigning for the radio station, allowing them to endorse all comcerts, trips and events that are ran by the station. 

When I went into the office, I was asked to count the money that had been collected at various fundraisers over the Christmas period. When I was finished counting the donations, I helped to tidy out some of the boxes from the promotions office, before we broke for lunch.

After lunch, I was told to go to the broadcasting studio, where I would sit in on Gary Gamble’s show and observe the ongoings of production. What I didn’t know however was that I would be asked to actually broadcast from the studio. I was told to play three songs, an advertisement bulletin, and two promos. I had never done anything like this before and although I found it challenging, I really enjoyed getting to sit behind the desk, and experience browdcasting. I was however really worried that I would mess up live on air, as approximately 178,000 people listening live!

I was extremely happy that I was given the chance to persue this, and I can’t believe I actually broadcasted!

Starting Work in Highland Radio!

Starting Work in Highland Radio

Last Wednesday, I started the first day of my second work experience placement. This was my first day back at school, however the first day back fell on a Wednesday, and therefore I had work experience.

I left my house at 8:10, and got a lift to Leterkenny. I arrived at the station slightly after 9 o’clock, where I was shown around the station by one of the secretaries. When I went in the John Breslin Show was on. I got introduced to all of the staff, and it was really eye-opening to see how many people are actually  in the background, helping to create the show. On being shown around the station, I realised that there were also so many different sub-sections that all help the show to run. One section that I hadn’t even thought about, was the ‘Sales’ section, which focuses on the processing of, and booking of different advertisements that will go live on the air at some point.

The building that the show is broadcasted from is also very interesting. There is three studios, where the shows can be broadcasted from, and above a lot of them there is a red sign, that lights up when a show is live. When the light is red, staff are not permitted to enter or exit the studio, as the sound interference could be picked up on the mic, and may be broadcasted. There is the main station, where the shows are usually broadcasted from. This studio is near to the secretaries desk, who can send requests and messages easily to the show host. Another studio, where the news and sports are read, is set up around a large table with multiple mics. This is because it can be used for large debates or shows similar to talk shows.

On Wednesday, I was in the third studio, where the advertisements are recorded and processed. I was mostly observing the recording of the ads, however if I could help, I did. It is really interesting to see how the advertisements were recorded, and it was something that I had never experienced before.

I have really enjoyed my first day of my placement in Highland Radio and hope that all the other weeks will be as good!

Month in Review – December

To take note of all that I have done in December, I will review and reflect my top 5 highlights of December.

1. TY Trip in Belfast

I really enjoyed the TY Christmas Trip. , we first of all went to Dundonald Ice Bowl, where we were taken to ice-skate, before being taken to Belfast where we were allowed to shop around, and later on see the Coca Cola, truck, and then head on to Junction One! It was such a good day as everyone had got on so well, and  everyone really enjoyed all aspects of the day. The day was that full of activities, that it went by so quick, and didn’t feel anyway long at all.

2. Hill Walking Trip

I really enjoyed the hill walking trip, as it was a challenge. I was really interested in the walk as it was an outdoors activity, and it something active. It was great to get out and do something totally different to any of the other activities in TY. We left the school after our first class, at 10 O’Clock, and headed on a bus to Leenan, outside Urris in Clonmany, where we were met by our guide for the day – Charlie McCarron, who is also the man who is in charge of the TY Tourism Enterprise project, which we will start this January. We were also accompanied by one of the PE Teachers & TY Tutors in Crana College – Mr McMullan, as well as a group of Spanish Students, accompanied by the Spanish Language Assistant in our school – Julia. I had never walked, or actually knew about the area where we walked, so it was a total change of scenery, and despite the very windy weather, the  views were absolutely spectacular!

3. TY Christmas Market

When writing this post, I realised that I hadn’t blogged about perhaps one of the biggest events that TY organised, not only in December, but in my TY so far! This was the ‘Christmas Market’, which linked to two very different modules in the TY Programme – Enterprise and Performing Arts. The event was organised in my Performing Arts classes, and our mini-companies, which were created through our Enterprise module, were to sell their goods (of possible), at the market. The amount of work that had to go in to not alone organizing a whole event, but also having a mini-company set up, and trading, was huge, however the event was a great success, and I was really happy that TY Students undertook a project that had never been done in the school before!

4. Starting the Irish Architecture Foundation Module

Something, more academic which had really interested me this month, was the starting of a new module, in my ‘Design & Woodwork’ class. This new concept is a new module that we will study called ‘Architecture’, which is brought to us by the Irish Architects Foundation, and is taught by our teacher – Mr Boyle.Since a young age I have been very interested in designing and drawing. I used to spend a lot of time drawing town plans and house design sketches, and I had also wanted to do Technical Graphics for my Junior Certificate, however the subject did not go ahead due to a lack of numbers in interest in this subject. Therefore, this module is of major interest to me! I am really glad, that in TY I get the chance to explore a topic and subject, that is totally new to me, yet a subject that I have a major interest in.

5.  Finishing My First Work Experience

This month I was very saddened to have finished my first placement. I had been in this placement over the past 13 weeks, and was really sad to say goodbye and get ready to start on my second work placement. Since September, I have been lucky enough to work in my past primary school – Scoil Naomh Pádraig in Drumfries. There are only about 60 – 70 students in the whole school, and therefore  I felt like I had grew to know them all well and had built up such a great working relationship with each and every one of them! I would like to thank all the staff & pupils at Drumfries N.S. for making, an amazing work experience placement possible!

 

Finishing My First Work Experience!

Me and my little sister Dearbhla, pictured just after my last day at work experience at her "Big School"

Yesterday, I was very saddened to have finished my first placement. I had been in this placement over the past 13 weeks, and was really sad to say goodbye and get ready to start on my second work placement.

Since September, I have been lucky enough to work in my past primary school – Scoil Naomh Pádraig in Drumfries. There are only about 60 – 70 students in the whole school, and therefore  I felt like I had grew to know them all well and had built up such a great working relationship with each and every one of them! I was even able to teach my little sister Dearbhla (pictured above), who had started “Big School” this year.

I was extremely lucky to be allowed to actually teach the children in the school music, as it is a major interest of mine. Every Wednesday I went to my work experience and from 10-11 I taught the middle classroom (1st, 2nd & 3rd classes), from 11:15-12 I taught the  infant classroom (Junior & Senior Infants), and from 1-2 I taught the senior classroom (4th, 5th & 6th classes). It has been one of the most insightful experiences that I have had so far in my TY, as it is amazing to see children who may have had very little music knowledge, comprehend and engage in lessons and activities, quickly develop music skills and understand theory!

On top of getting the chance to teach every single student in the school, I was also asked to help to arrange the school’s two annual Christmas plays. This year the senior students have been preparing for a play called ‘Cinderella Rockerfella’, which is essentially, a pantomime styled version of the play – Cinderella. The junior students have also been very busy practicing for their own adaptation of ‘The Nativity’. In this aspect of my work experience, I was asked to teach all of the students their songs, that they will sing in both plays, as well as coordinating students when there cues are to go on and off the stage. And if that wasn’t enough I was asked to create a backdrop for the plays!

Whenever I am not teaching music to the children, or wasn’t organizing a school play I was either working in the office or I am providing assistance in the classroom. These were both as enjoyable as teaching music. I believe that this placement was a unique opportunity as I have essentially done three placements at once – an office placement, a teaching placement and a placement that deals with music. It was safe to say that there was never a moment when I was bored on my first placement.

I would like to thank all the staff of the school for their continued support, constant dedication, accommodation and appreciation of the work I carried out throughout my thirteen weeks.